diff --git a/src/bin/day12.rs b/src/bin/day12.rs
index 37ea802..bed927c 100644
--- a/src/bin/day12.rs
+++ b/src/bin/day12.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{collections::VecDeque, str::FromStr};
+use std::str::FromStr;
 
 use indicatif::ParallelProgressIterator;
 use memoize::memoize;
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ type Output2 = Output1;
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 struct Row {
-    map: VecDeque<char>,
-    damaged: VecDeque<usize>,
+    map: Vec<char>,
+    damaged: Vec<usize>,
 }
 
 impl FromStr for Row {
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ impl FromStr for Row {
 }
 
 #[memoize]
-fn arrangements(map: VecDeque<char>, damaged: VecDeque<usize>, in_damaged: bool) -> usize {
+fn arrangements(map: Vec<char>, damaged: Vec<usize>, in_damaged: bool) -> usize {
     // all damaged have been placed
     if damaged.is_empty() {
         return if map.iter().all(|&c| c == '.' || c == '?') {
@@ -44,49 +44,52 @@ fn arrangements(map: VecDeque<char>, damaged: VecDeque<usize>, in_damaged: bool)
     let mut in_damaged = in_damaged;
 
     // skip the functional
-    while let Some('.') = map.front() {
+    while let Some('.') = map.last() {
         if in_damaged {
             return 0;
         }
 
         in_damaged = false;
-        map.pop_front();
+        map.pop();
     }
 
     if map.is_empty() || damaged.is_empty() {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    match map[0] {
+    let last_idx = map.len() - 1;
+    let last_d_idx = damaged.len() - 1;
+
+    match &map.last().unwrap() {
         '?' => {
-            map[0] = '.';
+            map[last_idx] = '.';
             let as_functional = if !in_damaged {
                 arrangements(map.clone(), damaged.clone(), false)
             } else {
                 0
             };
 
-            map[0] = '#';
+            map[last_idx] = '#';
             let as_non_functional = arrangements(map, damaged, true);
 
             as_functional + as_non_functional
         }
         '#' if damaged.is_empty() => 0,
         '#' => {
-            damaged[0] -= 1;
+            *damaged.last_mut().unwrap() -= 1;
 
-            map.pop_front();
+            map.pop();
 
-            if damaged[0] == 0 {
-                damaged.pop_front();
+            if damaged[last_d_idx] == 0 {
+                damaged.pop();
 
-                if let Some(&'#') = map.front() {
+                if let Some(&'#') = map.last() {
                     0
                 } else if !map.is_empty() {
-                    map[0] = '.';
+                    map[last_idx - 1] = '.';
                     arrangements(map, damaged, false)
                 } else {
-                    map.pop_front();
+                    map.pop();
                     arrangements(map, damaged, false)
                 }
             } else {
@@ -99,10 +102,7 @@ fn arrangements(map: VecDeque<char>, damaged: VecDeque<usize>, in_damaged: bool)
 
 impl Row {
     fn new(map: Vec<char>, damaged: Vec<usize>) -> Row {
-        Row {
-            map: VecDeque::from(map),
-            damaged: VecDeque::from(damaged),
-        }
+        Row { map, damaged }
     }
 
     fn arrangements(&mut self) -> usize {